The Final Jump
by Marcus Flanahan
Summary: A man with nothing to lose tests an experimental trans-dimensional device. When he wakes up, he is being cared for be six very special equine. When they and their princesses are attacked, he helps ward them off, and finds that he was sent here for a deeper meaning than he could have known.


I took the job because I had nothing to lose.

Three years ago, the son of a razed warlord whom I had assassinated got his revenge. I came home for my fifth anniversary with a dozen roses and a bottle of wine, only to find my wife and two year old daughter, throats slit with the precision of a trained killer. They had been dead less than an hour.

I spent the next two-and a half years hunting him down, tracking him through every corner of the globe, until finally, he was no more. Then I came back to what used to be home. Up until a few weeks ago, I had been fine. Until I realized, "She's gone. Nothing can change that." I fell into a deep depression, and drank… a lot. In my 7 years of the most traumatizing special warfare, I had never been this torn apart by anything.

But then the call came.

Classified beyond top secret, scientists had a trans-dimensional device. However, they couldn't test it without an expendable test dummy. I immediately accepted and wrote down the address and time, and began getting ready. Come morning, I was ready to possibly die for the sake of science.

When I got there, the scientist gave me enough details to confuse me, so I'll simplify it. It needs a jet engine to power it, but it wouldn't go fast enough. They figured a streamlined human body would be better and more cost effective than to design and build a whole new jet.

So here I am.

In a balloon.

At the top of the atmosphere.

And then I was falling.

Falling, falling, falling, faster than I had ever dreamed of. My body rigid, straight as an arrow, I ran through the steps in my head. To bail out, deploy full-body base jumping suit. Activate G.P.S. tracking beacon on my wrist once… if… I get there. Tightly secured to my chest was an AK-47 assault rifle, with multiple magazines and gear in pockets on my waist and thighs. Wind pummeled my body, but my polarized, mirrored helmet took the worst of it.

As my altitude dropped exponentially, my breath quickened, and I began hyperventilating. I began to realize that I really didn't want to die. As the trees became more definable, I began weighing my options, feeling the device on my back hum and whir with power. I began panicking, and 10 feet from the top of the canopy I flung out my arms, deploying the jump-suit, and a wave of energy was forced out of the device by the sudden stop. The energy wave passed through my body, and flew through the air, stopping at the top of the canopy. It spread out, reminding me of an end-portal. I didn't even hit it, but just fell through. As I hit the trees underneath, however, I felt the pain. I started to tumble, snagging the fabric between my arms and legs on every branch, practically destroying all use of the suit. At one point, my head slammed into the base of a tree, instantly knocking me out like a light.

_Equestria_

_Canterlot_

Luna lay in her bed, waiting for Celestia to go to bed so that she could raise the moon. As she waited, she did some complicated abacus work. Mathematics always relaxed her. It was far too enticing for her to put down.

"Luna!" Her ears perked up when she heard her older sister call out to her. She looked over to the door as Celestia walked through with a warm smile. "It's time again, little sister." Luna stood, a smirk appearing as she said, "Honestly, Tia. Do you really think that I would lose track of time _that_ easily? It's my favorite time of night! What, did you expect me to sleep in?" In the last few years, she had never been late to raise the moon. Well… there was that one time…

Celestia stood there and chuckled, before walking out and replying with a sigh, "I wouldn't mind sleeping in myself one day. But, unless somepony else would raise the sun, I'll make do."

That put an idea into Luna's head.

"Tia, wait!" She called after her sister, chasing after her sister as she headed toward her bedchamber. Celestia looked back in wonder. Luna usually went and raised the moon without much to say. Besides, Celestia was exhausted, and just wanted to sleep. "What's wrong, Luna?" The younger alicorn came to a stop and panted, "Let me… raise… the sun… tomorrow."

Celestia was taken aback by the sudden suggestion. "What would possess you to ask such a thing?" Once Luna caught her breath, she said, "You've seemed so stressed out lately, and… Oh let's face it, you're exhausted! And it's beginning to show! Besides, I feel I should have some experience, just in case I ever need to do it for you." Celestia was shocked. She had never thought about the fact that one day, she might not be able to raise the sun. What if Luna couldn't do it, though? What if she couldn't handle the pressure? What if she didn't have the strength?

The old and wise pony took in a deep breath, and said, "You're right, Luna. I think it's time you learn to raise the sun. I don't know why I haven't thought about this before. You'll learn tomorrow, but I'm not sleeping in. just in case." The goofiest grin in the world appeared on Luna's face, and she nuzzled her sister, saying in a quiet voice, "Thank you, Tia."

_Later that night_

Luna stood in the highmost tower of the palace, watching over the entire land, bathed in her beautiful night, shadows dancing and playing tricks. The nightguard made their rounds along the wall, some taking to the air to patrol the mountain. She turned to look in her sister's window, seeing her peacefully sleeping on her bed. But Luna knew something was wrong. Something was wrong. Something was obviously bothering her sister, stressing her out to the point of fitful sleep, and sometimes none at all. It truly was a blessing from Mother Faust that she slept this peacefully. It pained her to see Celestia in such despair.

A very quiet, high pitched whistle began, and Luna perked up, straining to hear it at first. It very quickly grew, until it was a screeching not unlike a jet's afterburners. The shadowgaurd took up defensive positions, determined to protect the city and their princesses. Celestia suddenly awoke frightfully, and dashed to the window.

"LUNA!" She screamed, scanning the sky in confusion as the ground began to tremble. The screech grew to the point of hurting everypony's ears, and a large white streak appeared in the sky, looking much like a meteor, and growing with the noise. Celestia began to panic. "LUNA! WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"Luna looked back at her sister, a confused and dazed look on her face. She said in a quiet voice, "I… I-I don't know…" She turned back to the falling object, and Celestia looked on in horror.

The mysterious object continued accelerating, descending toward the Everfree forest. As the sound peaked, the object slammed into the forest, setting off a huge Sonic Rainboom, larger even than the one Rainbow Dash had set off when she saved her friend rarity. The flash was so bright that it blinded even the princess of the sun. As the light subsided, and a brilliant circle of rainbow light expanded across the sky, turning night into day, Luna was the first to react. She jumped over the balcony's railing and glided to the ground, calling out orders to her guards and preparing herself for battle if necessity called for it. She was running for the armored corps when Celestia caught Luna's tail in her teeth, stopping her cold.

"Sister, what is it?" Luna asked, and when she met Celestia's somber eyes, she understood."It's time, isn't it?" she asked. Celestia just nodded, and they headed for the Grand Hall.

_Twilight's House_

Twilight sparkle lay in her bed, having one of the worst dreams she had ever imagined… Derpy—on coffee—in her library! She tossed and turned in her sheets, trying to disperse the terror that she dreamed, when she was startled awake by a massive 'BOOM!' Twilight yelped, and dashed across the room in a blur, telekinetically lifting a rather large book in front of her defensively. Peeking out from behind the book, she noticed the source of the boom. "A… A Rainboom? What in the name of Faust is Rainbow doing out there so late?"

She quickly ate a snack, and woke Spike, having him send a letter to the other girls telling them to meet her at the balloon, and a letter to Princess Luna, explaining that she and the elements would investigate. Pinkie Pie was the first to arrive, poking her head in the window and screaming, "HI TWILIGHT!" Twilight screeched, and clung to the ceiling, reminding Pinkie very much of Opal when she gets startled. "Pinkie Pie!" she scolded. "Don't do that! You know not to sneak up on me like that!" Pinkie jumped in through the window, saying, "Sorry Twilight, I just don't get to go all Splinter Cell that much." She spun in a blur, and had her ninja costume on. Flipping her night-vision goggles in place, she put her head to the ground, tail in the air, and began "sneaking and investigating" the library, top to bottom.

Moments later, there was a knocking at the door, and applejack's rustic accent called out, "Twilight, what in tarnation is going on?" In a blur of pink and black, Pinkie zipped out the front door, and shoved applejack in the door, ignoring her annoyed looks and whispering loudly, "Quit, Applejack! They might hear you!" Applejack pushed away from pinkie, saying, "Calm down, sugarcube. Who might hear us?" "Only everypony in Ponyville!" She exclaimed. Twilight walked over, explaining, "She's right, AJ. There's no need to make this worse by worrying everyone. They're probably already up questioning it." She promptly sent Spike off to bed, and as they prepared to board the balloon, Twilight asked, "Where's Fluttershy and Rarity?"

Pinkie Pie popped up from inside the balloon, and said, "Fluttershy said she'd meet us at the edge of the Everfree forest, and Rarity was still 'picking her wardrobe for the journey.'" The girls laughed as she imitated Rarity's posh accent, and got into the balloon, floating off.

When they arrived, they found Fluttershy surrounded by her animal friends, all of them frantically helping fill her saddle bags, with her all the while trying to calm them down and send them off. As they landed, rarity came trotting up, toting a small bag filled with accessories.

As sshe approached the other mares, she apologized. "Sorry for the delay, girls, but if we're going to make this trek, we might as well do it in style!" As she said this, she pulled a light scarf out of her bag and wrapped it around her neck. "Seriously?" Twilight questioned. "You spent all that time packing scarves?" Rarity gasped as if in shock. "And you didn't? Oh well, it's a good thing I brought enough for everyone." Without delay, she pulled out a different scarf for everypony, but only Fluttershy accepted.

"Alright girls," Twilight said, "let's get this done quickly. We don't want to be out here longer than we have to." They quickly made their way into the forest, hoping this was no big deal, and that it was just Dash out for some midnight practice, however ridiculous it may be.

Less than an hour into their trek, Rainbow Dash glided high above the group, scanning the thick brush for the other girls, having just missed them at both the balloon pad and at the edge of Everfree. When she spotted the girls, she zipped down, whooshing over their heads and shouting, "BOO!" The girls all screamed and jumped back, completely taken aback, leaving Fluttershy on her back, stock still with her legs in the air.

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight exclaimed. Rarity called out, "You almost scared us to death! What's wrong with you?" "Oh, where to start?" Rainbow Dash mused. "Rainbow, this is serious!" Twilight snapped. Rainbow Dash dropped to the ground, saying, "Okay, Okay, I am completely serious about this." Twilight asked her why she was out here, and Rainbow Dash said, "I'm out here because somepony made a Sonic Rainboom and didn't invite me! Whoever that is, I have GOT to meet!" That being said, she flew up and sat on a cloud, looking off in the direction of the Rainboom, and sighed, "Who the hell could have done this?" a small voice came from below the cloud, asking, "Are you sure you weren't sleep-flying?"

Rainbow Dash blinked in surprise, and looked below. As she did, Scootaloo poked her head out from under the cloud, having been scared up there by Rainbow's surprise. "Scootaloo? What are you doing up here?" "Umm… Hi Rainbow Da—" Scootaloo said, bringing her hoof up to wave, but cut of as she did, losing her grip and plummeting. As Scootaloo screamed her head off, Rainbow Dash zipped below to catch her, and gently glided down. As they touched down, Rainbow asked again, "Scoots, What. Are. You. Doing?"

Scootaloo struggled to explain herself, and Twilight came up behind her, saying, "It's okay Scootaloo, you're not in trouble. We just want to know." Scootaloo stepped back, saying with her head hung low, "I saw the Rainboom, and thought Rainbow Dash had done it, and I was hoping to see her do it again." Rainbow Dash sat down next to her, sighing. "Look kid, I know it would be cool, but two things. One: wasn't me. And two: it's too dangerous out here." Scootaloo just sniffled, and said, "I'm sorry."

She started to turn and head back, when Rarity chimed in, saying, "Oh come now, girls. Surely it'll be alright for such a tough little filly to come with us." Everypony looked at her questioningly. "What? Oh, alright." She looked at Scootaloo, and said, "You can come along dear, but you must swear to me that if we tell you to run, you'll run. Understand?" Scootaloo jumped up, obviously back in her usual high spirits, and said, "I swear!"

As I woke up, I thought I was dead. My eyes opened to see a white-painted ceiling, and found myself to be lying on a surprisingly soft bed. Well, my boots seem to still be on, so let's go from there. I looked around and found a small bedside table next to my head. On it sat my guns and helmet. I shifted to sit up, and clutched my side in pain. When I looked down, I found my entire torso and left shoulder wrapped in gauze, along with my right forearm. Whoever had found me had obviously wanted me to live. I searched the table's drawers and found the vest with my ammo. I shrugged it on, and slowly got to my feet, barely working through the pain. Walking over to the door, I checked my gun and found it still loaded. Strange…

I opened the door slowly, drawing my SOG knife. I peeked out into the hall, finding myself at the end, with a few other closed doors and a way downstairs to my left. As I moved down the hall slowly, I contemplated searching the other rooms first, and decided against it. I took slow, deliberate steps toward the stairway, and stopped at the corner. I heard a few voices, maybe two or three, coming from the room downstairs, getting quieter, and then a door shutting. No more voices. I made my way downstairs and found a nice little living room-style area. I made my way around to a kitchen. My stomach growled a lot more than I would have liked it to. I grimaced and began looking for something to eat. Between the cabinets and the fridge, I found a variety of apples and apple-based meals. I grabbed one of the pastries, and sat down to eat, but was stopped by a loud CRASH from outside, and what sounded like hooves clopping around. I racked my head trying to remember any part of the world that still had a large horse population. I ran over to the window in the living room, but couldn't see out the stained glass. All I could make out wre large shadows about five foot high, walking around and zipping through the air.

What the hell?

I backed away from the window, and tripped over something behind me. I hit the ground hard,slamming my head on the floor, my knife sticking in the wood next to me. When I looked up, there was a small orange equine, with a blood-red mane and tail, and a large pink bow. She stood up, looked back at me and SAID, "Ah'm sorry, mister! A-ah didn't mean to, ah swear!"

And that's how I blacked out for the second time.


End file.
